 PANEL ONE
"MOBILIZATION, PEOPLE'S
 PARTICIPATION AND 
 DECENTRALIZATION FOR EFA" (UNICEF)

"Mobilization, People's Participation

and Decentralization for EFA"

(UNICEF)

* A Time of Opportunity and Challenge

* A New Commitment to Human Development

* Democratizing Governance for Greater Participation

* Key Elements of a Strategy to Expand Social Mobilization

* Top-Level Commitment to Participation

* Motivating Communities and Families

* Making Learning More Relevant

* Cooperation with NGOs, the Private Sector and the Media

* The Record on Decentralization

* Making EFA Manageable: A Four-Point Agenda

* Conclusion: The Imperative of National Commitment

Chairperson: H.E Mr. Liu Bin, Vice-Chairman, State Education Commission, (People's Republic of China)

The Panelists:

James P. Grant. Executive Director of UNICEF since 1980. Mr. Grant started his career in international cooperation when he served UN Relief Operation in China after World War II. He later served in U.S. Aid in various capacities and as the President of the Overseas Development Council in Washington D.C.

Dr Mahbub ul Haq. An internationally known economist and currently senior adviser to the UNDP administration. He wits previously finance and planning minister in Pakistan, chief economist of Pakistan's Planning Commission and a director at the World Bank.

Fay Chung. Until recently Minister of Employment, Youth and Cooperatives in Zimbabwe and earlier the country's Minister of Education, she is currently the chief of UNICEF's Education Cluster in New York. She has served as a professor of education at the University of Zambia and participated in Zimbabwe's liberation movement.

Dr. Soedijarto. Director-General of Indonesia's out-of-school education, Youth and sports. The heads a large non-formal education programme which has made a significant contribution to EFA in Indonesia. He was formerly director of the national curriculum centre and vice-rector of the National Teacher Training Institute of Jakarta.

Since 1990, the international

community has displayed an

unprecedented degree of activism in

support of human development,

signalling the emergence of a new ethic

for children and a focus on people as

the key means of economic betterment.

A Time of Opportunity and Challenge

"We are, in the educational field, at an unusual period of opportunity and challenge," said UNICEF's Executive Director James P. Grant at the opening of the panel on "Mobilization, People's Participation, and Decentralization for EFA."

"I don't think we have had an equivalent opportunity for education in the past 50 years." The increasing worldwide awareness that education lies at the heart of development is an invitation to action. But the sheer scale of achieving education for all entails an entirely different way of conceiving and managing learning, away from a top- heavy, centralized model toward a more decentralized, democratic one in which all sectors of society are involved. This trend is underway in the nine most populous countries. Today, the challenge is to broaden and deepen people's participation, heighten the mobilization of the whole society and bring authority and decision-making in support of educational goals closer to communities and families in each country.

Figures alone call for an unrelenting and concerted action: according to statistics cited by Dr Mahbub ul Haq, in the field of primary education, there will be a 25% increase in net enrolment in the next seven years - equivalent to 75 million children - principally in Bangladesh, China, India, Nigeria and Pakistan. More specifically, if the gender gap is to be closed, this additional enrolment will have to embrace 55 million girls and 20 million boys. The task of achieving universalized primary education will require 1.6 million additional teachers and $4 billion a year of additional investment in primary education or nonformal alternatives.

A New Commitment to Human Development

Through several landmark events since the turn of the decade, commitment has been made at the highest level to improve the living conditions and future of millions: the World Conference on Education for All in Jomtien, Thailand in March 1990 launched a worldwide initiative to meet basic learning needs. Countries pledged to meet the goal of education for all by the year 2000 and the achievement of a functional and sustainable level of learning and life skills by at least 80 per cent of their youth. The Convention on the Rights of the Child, that made free and compulsory primary education an obligation of the state and the right of all children, came into effect in September 1990. Since then, over 150 countries have ratified the Convention, beating the record of any other human rights treaty. The World Summit for Children, the first truly global summit ever held, established a range of social development goals, including universal access to primary education and completion of the primary cycle by at least 80 per cent of those enrolled. Upon receiving their joint Nobel Peace Prize in November 1993, ANC leader Nelson Mandela and President Frederick de Klerk of South Africa pledged to make these goals national priorities.

Beyond the issue of human dignity, some common strands tie these various global meetings together. Firstly, the recognition that people are the end purpose and the principal means of development. "A one hundred year programme must be based on the development of education," says a Chinese proverb, reflecting education's strategic position in a country's progress. Research has demonstrated that higher per capita income levels go hand in hand with higher literacy levels. Similarly, numerous studies conducted around the world underline the linkages between female education, reduced fertility and increased economic productivity, thereby providing a key to slowing down population growth.

"There's no other field of major human endeavour where the primary thrust is still so closely linked to patterns of one hundred years ago."

James P. Grant, Executive Director, UNICEF

Secondly, participation, in its various dimensions, has become recognized as a basic principle of action, an overall development strategy. In the context of basic education, participation implies engaging people, including parents, children, teachers, political authorities and business leaders, widely and actively in defining learning needs, running the school and enhancing resources for education. Such a participatory culture can only grow and be sustained in an environment which genuinely recognizes its value. It requires certain structures, and cannot be applied in the sphere of education alone. Thirdly, there is a realization that beyond high- level political commitment, the goals set at these various summits cannot be achieved without a strong degree of social mobilization, meaning people's participation through organized and systematic actions. In the context of basic education, mobilization refers to the active involvement of all relevant sectors of society in promoting and supporting education. As the UNICEF background paper underlines, the martial overtone of the term is not accidental. It reflects a sense of urgency about overcoming a common problem or achieving a common purpose through expression of a society's collective commitment, formulation of strategies to achieve results, and engagement of large numbers of people in coordinated and goaloriented group actions. Social mobilization for education has often taken the form of one-shot, short-term campaigns, around a particular action or goal. While it has been given greater attention in literacy, adult education and the nonformal education spheres, less common are social mobilization efforts in the context of the regular school system and the basic learning needs of children. This is beginning to change, a process highlighted in the ways countries prepared their EFA national action plans, through consulting a broad spectrum of political and educational interests, including sectors traditionally marginalized from the educational discussion. Fourthly, community participation is perceived as a necessity from a financial point of view, since developing countries cannot finance education adequately without a large measure of support from the community. In China, the giant of the nine countries with a population of 1.2 billion, $12 billion is allocated annually to educate 180 million students. As a comparison, the United States spends $440 billion on 40 million children. Lastly, community participation is vital to ensuring sustainability.

Unless a community, starting with parents, can grasp the short and long-term benefits of the educational cause, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make the school a true centre for living and learning.

Democratizing Governance for Greater Participation

In order for people to participate at the local level, structures of governance have to become more flexible and responsive to local needs. In many countries, the trend toward democratization has been accompanied by a gradual decentralization of power from the central government and capital city to regions, districts, towns and villages. Various forms of decentralization - deconcentration, delegation and devolution of authority and functions - have been introduced or are being debated in most developing countries. Although evidence shows that decentralization has often led to the expansion of basic education opportunities, in other cases it has had a negative effect on equity, quality anti social cohesion.

Today, this momentum of participation, mobilization and action at global, national and community levels has to be maintained and strengthened. Furthermore, it can be nourished by the success of past endeavours, such as the Green Revolution, in which social mobilization played a decisive role. More recently, the global child immunization campaign, touted as the largest collective peacetime effort in world history, could not have been achieved without engaging large numbers of people, from parents and village leaders to heads of state. Arguably, the task is more difficult in the educational field, since it requires a longer-term and firmer commitment on the part of families, children and political leaders. But success stories in other fields contain lessons and clues that are potentially valuable to the promotion of EFA, especially universal primary education. Seeking to distill these lessons, the UNICEF presentation distinguishes eight major components of what needs to be done to maximize the impact of social mobilization. To various degrees and according to their needs, the nine high-population-countries have pegged their EFA strategies to these guidelines.

Key Elements of a Strategy to Expand Social Mobilization

1. A clearly articulated goal and vision.

For effective mobilization 10 Occur, people need to feel they are working toward a defined goal. The internationally adopted target of access to primary education in a formal or an equivalent programme for all children by the year 2000, with at least 80 per cent of them completing the primary stage, provides an easily and widely understood focus for advocacy, participation, mobilization, programme planning anti monitoring. The class of 2000, consisting of all current primary entry-age children, deserves everything their societies can give them to ensure a successful outcome by this date. Providing them with the support they need to stay in school and learn what they need to learn should become the pivot of a nationwide mobilization in each country.

2. High profile and frequent monitoring.

An education programme of universal scope that aims to reach large numbers within a specific time-table must develop an effective method of monitoring progress. National leaders at the highest level can use the monitoring system as an effective instrument for mobilization and action by personally leading public reviews of progress, deciding on remedial actions and encouraging officials down the line to do the same.

3. Visibility on the national agenda.

If the, whole of society is expected to participate in and mobilize around universal primary education, it must be, brought to the centre of national attention. It must be shown how primary education provides benefits across the board, such as better health, labour productivity, greater democratic participation, and slowing of population growth. National leaders have to take the lead in this nationwide dialogue in order to build public awareness and understanding leading to support and involvement of the whole society.

4. Building a national consensus.

Participation and mobilization on an enduring basis can only be promoted on the foundation of a national consensus on the major goals and priorities, and the main strategies for achieving them. Consensusbuilding is an ongoing process that needs to be nurtured. Consensus on basic goals and strategies must be non-partisan enough to survive change of government and personalities in high places.

5. Identifying, emulating and creating success stories.

It is essential to identify promising examples of success - creative and innovative combinations of action that have injected fresh blood into systems and accelerated progress. All of the nine countries have examples of success which need to he studied and adapted for wider application.

6. Decentralization based on shared responsibilities.

Decentralization of responsibility and functions must be introduced and implemented in such a way that it is not seen as an excuse for abdicating the state's responsibility for basic education or as a means of shifting the burden from the central authorities to the local level. Decentralization works when it is a means of redistributing functions and authority among different levels of Government and of the civil society in order to make, systems more efficient and democratic, allowing people to Participate and contribute. It must also hold them accountable: one of the major reasons for the success of the immunization campaign lay in the number of people held responsible in the effort. In India for example, every district chief, every governor was held accountable for achieving a goal. Chief ministers in states, falling short of targets received personal letters from the late prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi.

7. Building on existing institutions and practices.

The starting point for promoting popular participation, social mobilization and decentralization have to be the existing institutions, practices and norms in each

society. Local goverment in one form or another has always existed. There are traditional structures for community efforts, as well as religious, cultural, labour, professional and other types of organizations and collective entities. It is important to identify the potential and shortcomings of these institutions and practices, build on their strengths and devise ways of overcoming their weaknesses.

8. Effective use of modern communication.

"This is the most revolutionary tool that we have. The use of radio, television, videocassettes and tapes provides ways of motivating and energizing populations that never existed thirty years ago," says UNICEF's Executive Director, James P. Grant. Yet, the potential of the communication media for expanding people's access to educational opportunities and for mobilizing people's support for and involvement in education is far from being fully exploited.

Top-level Commitment to Participation

Over the past decades, educational systems have moved in the direction of greater adherence to participatory norms, more effective social mobilization and increased decentralization of authority and responsi- bility, but much still needs to be done to bridge the gap between theory and practice. These interrelated and overlapping concepts are guiding forces behind individual countries' Education for All action plans. In many cases, they have been enshrined constitutionally. In Indonesia, the 1989 Education Law states that education is the responsibility of the state, the community, and the family. In China, the 1985 "Decision on Reform of China's Educational Structure" granted decision-making powers for administration of primary education to local authorities. The 1992 Amendments to the Indian Constitution opened a new chapter in the process of democratic decentralization in India by making it mandatory for all States and Union Territories to establish regular democratically elected bodies for local self- government. "It is a very major step in strengthening our concept of decentralization and giving power and authority to the village bodies," said Ram -

"Modern communication is the most revolutionary tool that we have. The use of radio, television, videocassettes and tapes provides ways of motivating and energizing populations that never existed thirty years ago."

James P. Grant, Executive Director, UNICEF

Niwas Mirdha, an Indian member of parliament. There is provision for a state finance commission to decide upon resource allocation from the state to the village level.

Often, these measures give official sanction to long-held traditions. Community participation in Indonesian education can be traced back to national movements, such as the Taman Siswa (The Garden of Students) in the early 1920s that was based on the conviction that Indonesia could not achieve independence and prosperity unless its people were educated. Indonesia also harbours a core of traditional values, such as arriving at a consensus and assisting the needs of fellow community members which have been influential in shaping national identity. In India, the system of local

PANEL ONE "MOBILIZATION, PEOPLE'S PARTICIPATION AND DECENTRALIZATION FOR EFA" (UNICEF)

"Mobilization, People's Participation and Decentralization for EFA" (UNICEF)